289 Agathocles, tyrant of Syracuse, dies. Sources differ as to the nature of his death. Some believe that he was the victim of an assassin; others believe he died of jaw cancer. Agathocles’s wife and children are given sanctuary in Egypt.
288 123rd Olympiad The Campanian Mamertines (= “sons of Mamers” [Mars]), having been employed as mercenaries by Agathocles, are now left to their devices by his death. Taking advantage of the disorder, they capture the city of Messene. Having taken the city by treachery, they killed all of the men and took the women as wives. 287 (c) Archimedes, one of history’s greatest scientists and inventors, is born at Syracuse. The son of the astronomer Phidias, he received his education at the great University of Alexandria. After studying under Conon of Samos and Eratosthenes, he eventually returned to Syracuse, where he settled in as a member of the court of his close friend (and possible relative), Hieron II. 286 Phintias (Findias) becomes tyrant of Akragas. 285 Thurii attacked by the Bruttians. Rhinton of Syracuse, dramatist, dies at Tarentum. 284 124th Olympiad (c) Playwright Livius Andronicus is born in Tarentum. Translating and adapting many Greek plays into Latin, he is considered the founder of Roman drama and epic poetry. 282 Romans establish a colony at Adria. Romans send a garrison to Rhegium (alt. date: 280). Roman-Tarentine Conflict begins. Thurii asks help from Rome against the Lucanians. Because Thurii is a colony of Taras, this request creates political tension between the Taras and Rome. Rome and Taras make an agreement delineating their spheres of influence. The Romans agree not to send ships into the Gulf of Taranto or go beyond the Lacinium promontory. The Romans send a squadron into the Gulf of Taranto carrying a garrison bound for Thurii. A storm catches ten of the Roman ships and drives them up to the port of Taras. The Tarentines, then celebrating the festival of Dionysus, are enraged to see the Romans violating their recent agreement. They attack the ships, sinking four of them and capturing another. The remainder of the Roman fleet deposits the garrison at Thurii. Tarentines appeal for help to Pyrrhus of Epirus. Pyrrhus owed a debt of gratitude to the Tarentines who had earlier helped him conquer the island of Corcyra. His main motivation, however, was that he viewed Italy as a step towards his ultimate goal, the conquest of Macedonia. Coming to the aid of Taras was the excuse he needed to send a force westward into Magna Graecia and then into Sicily. Once he consolidated the power and wealth of the western Greeks, he would move against Carthage to eliminate any threat which they might pose. Then he would turn his attention against Macedonia. To hide this ultimate goal, however, he went so far as to ask his fellow Hellenistic rulers for help against the Romans. Several responded with donations of ships, money, and soldiers. Ptolemy II Philadelphos of Egypt sent him a force of 9,000 soldiers and 50 war-elephants. Even Macedonia itself sent phalanxes to support him. The Romans withdraw their garrison from Thurii. Tarentines send their army and fleet to Thurii to oust the pro-Roman aristocratic government there and replace it with a democratic one. 281 Roman army under Emilius Barbula invades Tarentine territory. The Romans capture and plunder Taras. The Tarentines, supported by Samnite and Sallentinian reinforcements, counter-attack but are defeated. A Tarentine delegation under Agis is sent to negotiate with the Romans. Before an agreement can be reached, 3,000 Epirote troops under Milon arrive and drive the Romans out of Taras. The peace talks are broken off and the Romans retreat suffering heavy losses from attacks by Greek ships. 280 125th Olympiad First Roman coins are minted. Sosistratos takes power for a short time in Akragas. He is soon ousted as the city comes under Epirote rule. Rome plants a garrison at Rhegium. The troops are not Roman regulars but consist of a cohort of Sidicini and two cohorts of mixed Campanian troops. Roman-Tarentine Conflict evolves into the Pyrrhic War. Pyrrhus arrives at Taras with the main body of his army. He has under his command a force of over 23,000 infantry, archers and slingers, 3,000 horsemen, and 19 war-elephants. Accompanying him are two of his sons, Alexander and Helenus. Battle of Heraklea. Pyrrhus defeats the Romans. Pyrrhus defeats an army of 30,000 Romans under the command of M. Valerius Laevinus. Casualties on both sides are heavy but the Romans are able to recover from their losses more quickly than Pyrrhus. Following his victory at Heraklea, Pyrrhus marches towards Rome in hopes of convincing other peoples and cities under Roman domination to switch their loyalties to him. The attempt proves fruitless and he retires back into Apulia. Neapolis, a loyal allied city of Rome, successfully repels Pyrrhus’ attack. Phintias (Findias), tyrant of Akragas, transports the remaining population of Gela to his new city of Phintias (mod. Licata). In memory of their former home, these people continue to refer to themselves as Geloans.